Refrigerating-machine



E. T. WILLIAMS.

REFRIGERATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN-17,1917.

1,392,997, Patented 001. 11, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

3 mum L fe's E. T. WILLIAMS. REFRIGERATING'MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1917- Patented .Oct. 11, 19 21.

4 SHEETS'SHEETQ.

E. T. WILLI MS. REFRIGERATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I7, 1917.

Patented Oct. 1 1, 192 1,

37 h v a 4 sussrsansn a. 26 3B 25 2a m J I v 70 3J4 E. T. WILLIAMS.

REFRIGERATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I7, I9I7.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR I BY I 5 I I An oRNEY UNITED srA'rss PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD 'r. WILLIAMS, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'rofsrmrnnx REFRIG- ERATING CORPORATION, A ooRPoRATIoN on NEW YORK.

REFRIGERATING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. VVILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to refrigerating machines, and its chief object is to provide condensed from its gaseous form at moderate temperature and pressure. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the interior of the redill frigerator, and in doing so is vaporized more or less rapidly. The resulting gas or vapor is continuously withdrawn by a suitable compressor at such a rate as to main- .tain a pressure in the chamber low enough (below atmospheric) to permit the liquid to vaporize readily at a temperature not much above that which is to' be maintained in the refrigerator. From the compressor the gas is delivered, under pressure (higher than attlti height, or by a fan which may be drivenby the same motor that drives the compressor. 7

Two embodiments of the form briefly outlined above is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 1s a vertical section of the complete apparatus in place on the refrigerator.

Specification of Letters Patent. Paytgntigqi 11, 1921,

Application filed January 17, 191.7. Serial No. 142,781.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a detail section of the collecting chamber or vessel, showing the float-eon:

trolled valve by which the liquefied refrigerant is delivered to the expansion chamber. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the complete apparatus applied ,to a suitable refrigerator.

Fig. 6 is a side view of another embodiment, with the outer casing and the refrigerator in vertical section.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same. V Fig. 8' is a plan view of a modification, in which the parts are arranged to go into a casing approximating a square form so as to be mounted on the small refrigerator usually found in city apartments.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation showing the apparatus installed in a building provided with fines for delivering air to and conducting it away from the refrigerating machine.

The expansion chamber 10 is annular in cross. section, composed of two concentric cylindrical shells 11, 12, provided at the ends with annular ends, and ,is supported by saddles 13, 1 1, resting on the edges of the trough or open-topped box 15. The latteris passed into the refrigerator 16 through an opening 17 in the top of the same and is suspended in U-shaped hangers 18 secured to a cover 19 closing said openingand removably secured in place by any convenient means not shown. The trough is partly filled with Water, which is intended to be frozen when the machine is operating during the day. The ice thus formed affords the desired cooling efiect in the refrigeratorduring the night, when the machine is (usually) out of operation. Ice for table and other use can be readily made by introducing freezing molds in close proximity to the ice tank 15.

On the cover 19 is a base-plate 20 of cast metal, having an upstanding rib or flange 21 to receive the bottom edgeof a sheet metal housing-22 inthe form of an upright bottom. This housing incloses all the upper parts of the a paratus except the motor 24, which drives the compressor 25. The latter I is preferably of the centrifugal type and the shaft of its runner or rotor is in line with the armature shaft of the motor, the

cylinder with a laterahextension 23 at the I two being coupled together in any convenient .manner, not shown. One or the other shaft, preferably the motor shaft, carries a fan 26 to produce a current of air through the housing, the cool air entering by way of the opening 27 in the end of the extension 23 and the warm air issuing from the housing through the opening 28. Below the compressor, between the feet on which it stands, is an opening 25. This opening permits air from the fan to flow under and back of the compressor, thus increasing the cooling effect. The opening 28 may have an outer collar or neck 29 for connection with a chimney or other conduit (not shown) to carry off the warm air. The

housing is preferably in two parts, which are separable by sliding one part out of the other, as indicated by the kind of joint shown at 22*, Fig. 2., The two are held toether by the rib 21 and the tightly fitting anged lid or cover 22". This construction affords instant access to the interior of the housing whenever desired.

The low-pressure side of'the compressor 25 is connected by a pipe 30 to the expansion chamber '10, thus withdrawing the vapor or gas from the latter and producing a partial vacuum therein. From the high-pressure side the compressed gas is delivered by a pipe 31 to a chamber 32 in the form of an upright cylinder at the center of the housing 22. This chamber serves as a separator, in which the compressed gas separates from any lubricant (usually glycerin) carried 7 along with it, the glycerin falling to the hottom of the separator and flowing thence by a pipe 33 to the bottom of the collecting and storage vessel 34, which also serves. the important purpose ofa valve chamber, as de-- scribed hereinafter. The pressure in the latter being hi h, the glycerin in the bottom of the same (shown at 35 in Fig. 4) is forced through pipe 36 back into the interior of the compressor on the low-pressure side of the same, to lubricate the workingparts. A pipe 36, entering the low-pressure or suction side of the compressor and equipped at its outer end with a valve 36", is provided for charging the apparatus with lubricant and refrigerant. For this purpose the valve is connected with a source of lubricant (glycerin preferably), valve 37 is opened, and a suitable amount ,of glycerin is drawn in. Then valve 36 is connected to a source of refrigerant. As soon as the latter, in gaseous form, is observed, issuing from valve 37 the same is closed and the compressor continued in operation until the proper amount of refri erant has been taken.

t the top of the separator 32 isa petcock 37 by which the system may be purged of air or other non-condensable gases. Normally this cock is closed and the compressed gas passes into the upper end of the helicospiral pipe 38, which constitutes the condenser. Here the compressed gas is cooled to, liquefaction by the current of cool air produced by the fan 26 (or by a tall chimney attached to theneck-29 if the fan or other air-propelling means is omitted) and runs down into the top of the collecting and storage reservoir 34. In the latter the liquefied refrigerant floats on the glycerin 35 (Fig. 4) and is delivered by a suitable valve 39 to a pipe 40 leading to the expansion chamber 10.

The valve 39, by which the liquefied refrigerant is delivered to the expansion chamber 10, comprises a tubular body 41 having a threaded nipple 42 extending downwardly through the bottom of the valve chamber 34 for connection with the pipe 40. A nut 43 on said nipple secures the valve body firmly in place. The tubular body extends well above the maximum height of the glycerin 35; The upper portion of its bore, open at the top to admit the refrigerant 44, is enlarged to receive the vertically movab e valve-sternv 45. The latter fits the bore smoothly, so as to be accurately guided in its vertical. movement, and is provided with a groove 46 forming a passage by which the liquid flows to the orifice 47 which forms the seat for the pointed or conical lower end of the valve stem 45. The upper portion of the body 41 is reduced and threaded to receive a collar 48 having a standard 49 on the top of which is a pivoted arm 50. This arm has a crank-pin 51 connected by a link 52 to the valve stem 45, so that as the arm swings, the valve will be raised or lowered. To actuate the arm it is connected by a link 53 to a float 54. It will be observed that the crankpinis on the side toward which the arm 50 isinclined. Hence if the float rises, that is, if the liquid-level rises, the valve is opened more and more, letting more and more of the liquid out into the expansion chamber,

and if the liquid-level falls the reverse operation takes place. This provides .for a substantially constant volume of liquid in the collecting chamber and insures discharge 'of the'liquid about as fast as it is received from the condenser. T hevalve 39 is of such character that it will remain absolutely fore be in the expansion chamber and-this I have found gives a high degree of efficiency for a refrigerating apparatus for household uses. a

The embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 only pipe 38* is bent in zig-zag or S-sh'aped fashion, giving the whole a, rectangular form, thus greatly diminishing the height of the apparatus though increasing its length.

The separator 32 is at one end of the con-- denser coils instead of at the center thereof.

1 The sheet metal housing 22 is of elongated rectangular form and fits down inside the vertical rib 21 oIi the cast baseplate 20. At one end is an opening 27 for the inflow of cool air and at the other an opening 28is provided for the escape of warm air.

For use on small refrigeratbrs, such as are commonly found in small houses and incity apartments, the arrangement shown in Fig. 8 is the one I prefer. In this arrangement the housing 22 is more nearly square in plan.

and is divided into two compartments 56, 57, by a central longitudinal partition 22* terminating short of one end of the housing so as to leave an opening 22 between the two compartments. The motor 24, compressor 25, and fan 26 are located in compartment 56, and the separator 32*, storage andvalve chamber 34:, and condenser coils 38 in compartment 57. An opening 27 in the lower part of compartment. 56 at the rear of the motor admits cool air, which flows through the compartment to the communicating opening 22 and thence through compartment 57. escaping through opening 28 in the upper part of the last-named compartment, beyond the condensing coils 38". Opening 27 is provided with a collar 27 for connection with a conduit leading from a source of coolair.

Preferably the inlet opening of the housing (opening 27, 27, 27 or 27 as. the case may be) is connected to a conduit (not shown) leading from outside the house, or, as in the case of an apartment, from the dumb-waiter shaft, while the outlet opening 28 is connected to a flue (not shown) leading to the outside of the house, or to the dumb-waiter shaft above the aforesaid conduit Thus in Fig. 9, 58 represents'a room in a building having a pair of conduits or lines 59, 60, leading respectively from and to the outside of the building. The housing 22 has its air inlet opening connected by a pipe 61 to the flue 59 and its air outlet opening connected by a pipe 62 to the flue 60, so that air from the outside of the building (by way of flue 59) will flow through the compartments of the housing and be discharged through flue 60 to the outside of the building.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact form herein specifically described but can be embodied in other forms without departure from its spirit.

I claim 1. In an apparatus of the class described in combination, a refrigerator, a housing thereon divided into a plurality of compartments, an expansion chamber in the refrigerator, a compressor in one of the aforesaid compartments connected with the expansion chamber to draw vaporized refrigerant therefrom and compress the same, a

connected with the compressor to receive refrigerant therefrom and condense'the same to liquid form, a collecting chamber connected with the condenser to "receive liquefied refrigerant therefrom and connected to the expansion chamber to deliver refrigerant thereto, a motor having an extended armature shaft connected to the compressor to drive the same, and a fan located upon said shaft intermediate the motor and the compressor adapted to set up a flow of cooling air through the condenser and around the compressor and motor.

2. In an apparatus of the class described in combinatlon a refrigerator, a housing mountedupon the refrigerator and divided into a plurality of compartments communieating with one another, a refrigerating I machine comprising a compressor, a motor having a shaft adapted to drive the compressor, a fan on said shaft between the motor and the compressor, said motor fan and compr ssor being in one of the aforesaid compartments, a condenser in the other compartment,and an expansion chamber in the refrigerator; said motor being adapted to drive the compressor and to thereby circulate refrigerant through the expansion chamber, condenser, and the compressor, and said fan being adapted to circulate cooling air through the'condenser, and around the compressor and motor,

3. In a refrigerating machine, in combination, a refrigerator; an expansion chamhaving means dividing the housing into communicating compartments and having air inlet and outlet openings to permit flow of air through the compartments in succession; a condenser arranged in one of the compartments and connected with the expansion chamber; a compressor arranged in another compartment and connected with the condenser and the expansion chamber; a motor arranged in one of the compartments and connected with the compressor to drive the same.

4; in a refrigerating machine, in combination, a refrigerator; an expansion chamber therein; a housing mounted on the refrigerator, provided with air inlet and outlet openings in opposite sides at one end and having a longitudinal partition dividing it into 'a' pair of compartments in communication with each other at the end opposite the air inlet and outlet openings; a condenser located in; one ofthe compartments and condenser in another'of the compartments connected with the expansion chamber; a

compressor located in the other compartand driven by the latter to propel air" through said compartments. v

5. In combination, a building having a pair of flues open to the outside of the building, a refrigerator in the building,- a refrigerating machine mounted on the refrigerator and having a condenser, a com pressor, and a motor to drive the latter, and a housing divided into communicating compartments inclosing the condenser and compressor and having an air inlet opening connected to one of said flues and an air outlet opening connected to the other flue to permit air from outside the building to flow through the compartments to cool the compressor and condenser and'be discharged outside of the building.

6. In combination, a building having a pair of flues open to the outside of the building; a refrigerator in the building; a housing mounted on the refrigerator, divided into communicating compartments and having air inlet and outlet openings to admit air to one compartment nd discharge air from another whereby airso admitted may flow through the compartments in succession; a refrigerating machine having a condenser in one compartment, a compressor in another compartment, and an expansion chamber in the refrigerator; a motor connected With the compressor -to drive the same; and means connecting the air inlet opening of the housing toone of said flues and the the air outlet opening to the other flue, whereby air from outside the building may flow through-the said compartments to cool the compressor and condenser and be discharged outside the building.

7. In combination, a building having a pair of flues open to .the' outside of the building; a refrigerator inside the building; a housing mounted on the refrigerator and I divided into communicating comp rtments connected one to one of said fines and another to the other flue to permit air'to flow from outside the building through the compartments in succession and be discharged outside the building; and a refrigerating machine, comprising a compressor, a condenser, a motor, and a fan, in the compart ments of the housing, and an expansion chamber in the refrigerator; the fan and the compressor being driven by the motor, and the compressor, condenser and expansion chamber being connected for circulation of the refrigerant.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, a refrigerator, a housing mounted upon the refrigerator and divided into a plurality of compartments which communicate With one another to permit air to flow therethrough, one of said compartments having an inlet opening and another of said compartments having a discharge opening, a refrigerating machine comprising a compressor, a condenser, a motor and a fan in the compartments of the housing, and an expansion chamber in the refrigerator; the fan and compressor being driven by the motor and the compressor, condenser and expansion chamber being connected for circulation of the refrigerant.

9. In an apparatus of the class described,

in combination, a refrigerator, a housing mounted upon the refrigerator, said housing having an inlet and outlet opening, and being divided into a plurality of compartments through which the air is adapted to flow successlvely, a refrigerating machine comprising a compressor,- a condenser, a collecting chamber, a motor and a fan in said housing, said condenser and collecting chamber being disposed so as to receive the air currents induced by the fan, the fan and compressor being driven by the said motor, and an expansion chamber in the refrigerator, said compressor, condenser, collecting chamber and expansion chamber being connected for circulation of the refrigerant.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

EDWARD T. WILLIAMS. 

